Banana-shipping device.



J. F. HOLMES.

BANANA SHIPPING DEVICE.

' 1,082,524. Patented Dec. 30, 1913.

v 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. P. HOLMES. BANANA SHIPPING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9, 1912.

Patented Dec..30, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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.III 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH F. HOLMES, 0F HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA.

BANANA-SHIPPING DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH F. HOLMES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Huntsville, in the county of Madison and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Banana- Shipping Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for shipping bananas and like fruit and has for one of its objects the provision of a collapsible frame having means for supporting the bunches of bananas, said frame being so constructed that it may be assembled together with other frames to economically and completely fill a car or a ships hold.

My invention will be described in detail hereinafter and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure l is a top plan view of one of my improved shipping devices showing it as a part of a system of devices; Fig. 2, a side view of my invention showing it superposed on the fragment of another device; Fig. 3, an end view; Fig. 4, an end view showing one of the devices collapsed; Fig. 5, a fragmental cross section on the plane indicated by the line 55 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6, a similar view 011 the plane indicated by the line 66 of Fig. 8; and Fig. 7, a detail of the lower end of one of the supporting arms.

In the drawings similar reference characters will be used to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

My improved banana shipping device comprises a collapsible frame having its ends formed by crossed rods indicated at 1 that are pivotally secured intermediate of their ends as shown at 2. Each pair of crossed rods 1 are connected at their upper ends by longitudinal rods 3 and at their lower ends by means of longitudinal rods 4 said rods 4E being shorter than the rods 3 for the purpose to be hereinafter described.

Secured near the upper terminal of each rod 1 is a bar 5, said bars being pivotally secured together as shown at 6 and one of said bars provided with a hook-shaped flange 7, said pivotally connected bars acting as braces to hold the upper ends of said bars in a distended position as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Pivo-tally secured adjacent to the lower terminals of the bars 1 are other rods 8, said rods 1 being pivotally secured together as shown at 9, and one of said bars is also provided with a hook- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 9, 1912.

Patented Dec. 30, 1913.

Serial No. 719,405.

shaped flange 10 to limit the movement of hold the lower ends of said rods 1 in a dis tended position.

11 indicates a sling of any suitable fabric such as burlap that is secured at two of its margins to the rods 3 and when the device is in an extended position as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, serves to hold bunches of bananas or other fruit or commodities therein.

The lower ends of the rods 1 are formed with angular extensions 12 that are provided with notches 13, said angular extensions 12 acting as feet for the device when in use and the notches 13 are adapted to engage the rods 3 so that a plurality of the devices may be assembled in superposed positions to economically fill a car or other transporting means for the bananas or other fruit, the rods 4 being as heretofore stated shorter than the rods 3 operate to cause the lower ends of the rods 1 to seat within the upper ends of said rods when superposed as heretofore stated.

One of each pair of bars 5 has its terminal that is pivotally connected to the rod 1 formed with a lateral flange 14 to which is secured a chain 1.5, while the corresponding terminal of the other of each pair of rods 5 is formed with an upwardly extending hook 16 that is adapted to engage the chain 15 on an adjacent device to connect the tiers of devices together when placed in position in the car or other means of transportation.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is 1. In a banana shipping device, angularly disposed supporting rods pivotally secured together intermediate of their ends, a plurality of horizontally arranged rods connecting said pivotally secured supporting rods in pairs, a fruit sling mounted on the said horizontally arranged rods connecting the upper terminals of said pivotally secured rods, the lowermost terminals of said pivotally secured rods being formed with notches adapted to engage the upper horizontal connecting rods, spacing bars pivotally secured to said pivotally secured rods adjacent to their upper ends, a chain secured to one of each pair of spacing bars, a hook formed on the other of each pair of rods, said bars being pivotally secured together and forming a brace to hold the upper ends of said pivotally secured rods in a distended position, said chain being adapted to have its free end secured to the said hook of the next adjacent shipping device when the structures are arranged in assembled position, spacing bars pivotally secured adjacent to the lower ends of said pivotally secured rods, and said spacing bars being pivotally secured together and adapted to act as a brace to hold the lower ends of said pivotally secured rods in a distended position.

2. In a banana shipping device a set of pivotally connected supporting legs, the lower terminals of each leg being angularly and inwardly directed with respect to the vertical plane of the pivotal point, the extreme terminals of said supporting legs being provided with substantially U-shaped slots, a plurality of horizontally arranged connecting rods secured at their ends to the corresponding terminals of the said supporting legs, a flexible sling secured to the upper of said connecting rods, a pair of spacing bars secured to each of said supporting legs, the said spacing bars having one end pivotally secured to a supporting leg, the said pairs of spacing rods being normally inwardly directed and pivotally secured at their contacting terminals, and a plurality of stop hooks carried by one of each of said spacing bars, a laterally extendof spacing bars, a plurality of connecting chains secured at one terminal to a perforated ear and adapted in the assembled position of the shipping devices to engage a hook member of the next adjacent device for maintaining the structures in the desired position; the said structures being adapted to the arrangement in series and to superposition, the slot portions of the legs of the superimposed structures being adapted to engage the upper horizontally disposed con necting rods of the adjacent lower structure. In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH F. HOLMES. l/Vitnesses:

Ros'roN COWLEY, ROY HUGHES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

